Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators could soon be paying less for fuel under an arrangement with a major player in the industry.
Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Roy Raphael has revealed to Barbados TODAY that the association is working with RUBIS on a deal that would provide them with much-needed savings.
He said stakeholders recently had initial discussions with that company as well as other fuel companies, and although mum on the quantum and other details of the savings some operators may benefit from soon, he said an official announcement is on the horizon.
“The discussions went well but we have to return to the table again on Friday because a number of options were placed on the table on our side, as they also did on their side. They have asked us to look at the [proposed deal] and share it with our members,” Raphael said.
“They would have explored some of the areas in which they would have worked with some of our counterparts in the Caribbean, such as the Grenada Transportation Association; they would have worked with Cayman Islands and a number of companies…. We are hoping by next week we will be in a better position to speak to the public about it.”
Raphael added that the savings proposed in the deal with the fuel industry along with the green energy push being undertaken by the AOPT were all part of an effort to reduce maintenance costs and avoid having to increase bus fares, which would be an additional burden on passengers.
“What I would say is that once a renewable energy mechanism is put in place, once we have natural gas and electric mobilisation we will definitely pass on the savings to consumers, because it would then mean consumers would not have to experience an increase in bus fare,” the AOPT chairman said.
“But one would have to appreciate that running a bus on $150 a day in fuel and having a reduction in the number of passengers with an increase in the number of vehicles on the road is not cutting it for the bottom line.
“At least for the next six months, we can say to the public we will not be putting on the table any form of discussion around any increase in bus fare,” he added, referring to the fact that the price of gas and diesel will not go past $4.48 and $4.03 per litre, respectively, under a fuel cap that is now in place until January 31 next year.
Although he praised the Government for that intervention which has come amid escalating fuel prices, he lamented that there has not been enough discussion between Government and PSV operators on issues concerning transportation on the island.
He said given that PSVs and taxis account for a large portion of the public’s transportation options, the lack of consultation is worrying.
“One of the problems that we face is that the Government doesn’t engage us enough…. The fact that we are not being placed at the centre of the table creates issues – an organisation that moves 80 per cent of the general public, takes everybody to work, play, school.
“We help support a host of activities including being important to the island’s GDP. To my mind we are treated shabby; no one speaks to us,” Raphael complained.
